Rural Masters Students in Scotland

20 June 2013

Our MSc Rural Land and Business Management students have returned from a week's study tour in Scotland. The week started at the HQ of Bell Ingram, where managing Partner, Graham Lumby, gave an excellent presentation...

Our MSc Rural Land and Business Management students have just returned from a week's study tour in Scotland. The week started at the HQ of Bell Ingram, where managing Partner, Graham Lumby, gave an excellent presentation on utilities' wayleaves and easements. The group then moved on to Glenmore, where they were based for the week. The next morning they headed for Cairngorm Mountain and, having reached the summit by 10.30am, they enjoyed a walking tour of the funicular, restaurants and shops with CEO of the Mountain, Ian Whitaker. They later joined Tilly Smith, of the Cairngorm Reindeer Company, for a fascinating talk on developing and running Britain's only free-roaming reindeer herd.

On Wednesday, Jamie Williamson, a PhD forester and Laird of some 45,000 acres of beautiful Highland Estate, hosted the group for a day at Alvie Estate. The students were both surprised and delighted to see the range of diversified enterprises that the Estate had to offer: from zip trekking and quad biking to the more traditional trout farming and deer stalking. The evening student assessments were helped along by the presence of local Cairngorms beer, supplied by Sam Faircliff, Managing Director of the Cairngorms Brewery Company, who had given a talk that afternoon at the Brewery.

There appeared to be no sore heads when the group set off on Thursday morning for the RSPB Reserve at Abernethy and Loch Garten. They walked some 3-4 miles over the Ryvoan Pass with Ross Watson, discussing the different types of management employed to encourage Capercaille breeding and re-establishment of the Caledonian Pine Forest: Britain's only native coniferous forest.

On Friday the students left the Strathspey area and headed south for their final visit. Andrew Bruce Wotton, General Manager of Atholl Estates, gave an excellent presentation on the management of this historic estate and a tour around confirmed the beauty of the area. We would like to extend out thanks to all our hosts who were so generous with both their time and their expertise. To see photos of the trip visit us on Facebook.

This site uses cookies to improve your user experience. By using this site you agree to these cookies being set. You can read more about what cookies we use here. If you do not wish to accept cookies from this site please either disable cookies or refrain from using the site.